First Introduction
by BeccaRN
Summary: Emails between Park and Watney on the return to earth. I wrote this really quickly. Forgive any errors. I own nothing. Put it in somewhat email format for easy read (hopefully). Too lazy to make up times/dates for the emails. Sorry!
1. Chapter 1

To: M. Watney

Cc: M. Park

From: V. Kapoor

Mark,

Now that you are safetly abord the Hermes and have had a few days to decompress I would like to formally introduce you to Mindy Park, SatCon. She is the one that found you alive and monitored your activities and communications on Mars. Don't let her tell you any different.

Mindy, you can thank me later.

Vincent Kapoor

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

Mindy,

Wow. I'm not sure what to say. Thank you doesn't seem to cover it. I wonder if they make a hallmark card that covers thanks for finding me alive on Mars. But seriously, thank you. You saved my life. I hope I wasn't too much of a pain in the ass.

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

FROM: M. PARK

Mark,

Despite what Kapoor says, I did not save you. You saved your own life. I just happened to find a moved rover and some clean solar panels on satillite imaging.

Glad you didn't die though. I'm not going to lie, you were a pain in my ass. Operating on Mars time is aging me. But I did get a promotion with a nice raise, so I have to thank you for that.

I'm going to need some autographed photos when you get back to ebay for my botox treatments.

But in all seriousness, it is good to hear from you. I hope you are recovering well.

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

Can I thank you in person when we land? All the autographs you want. How about a few pics? Those should sell right?

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

If you REALLY want to thank me, pizza is the way to go. Don't kill me for saying this, I do love Chicago and all, but I'm a New York pizza fan.

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

You are dead to me. New York pizza? Really?

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

Oh I'll eat ANY pizza, I just prefer the thin crust. But I am guessing you probably don't want to talk about food considering your present situation.

Mindy

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

Um so strange series of events this morning. I'm sitting in my office, and Kapoor brings your parents by. Apparently they are in town for a tour and meet and greet of some of the people involved in getting you off MARS. Since I don't have to watch MARS 24/7 now I have some free time, so I was placed in charge of showing them around.

Your folks are nice. I can tell where you get your sense of humor from.

And just so you know, I think your mother has arrainged marriage for us. Something about me having birthing hips. What the actual fuck Watney?

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

Trust me, I got a long, detailed email about our upcoming marriage. My mother seems to think very highly of you. Apparently you are not only intellegent but a natural beauty in her words. My mom is a bit ancy since I am an only child and she wants grandchildren yesterday. Sorry if she came on strong. Hopefully she didn't scare you away. I must seem like a desperate loser with getting stuck on Mars and now with my mom trying to hook me up.

I told her I would have to actually ask you on date before we get married. She told me to get on with it.

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

It's ok. I get it. Parents are strange. I have my own odd set. Thankfully I have a brother and sister for them to equally harrass. I guess birthing hips isn't the worst thing I have ever been told.

Would it count as a blind date if I know what you look like but you have never seen me? I mean outside of your NASA photo the press has photos of you from every age plastered on the front pages.

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

You could solve this dilemma by sending me a picture. I've got women all over the world sending me pics but the only one I really want to see is you. No pressure or anything. Can I pull the almost died on Mars card to persued you?

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

Ok. I guess it is only fair since I not only know what you look like, but I have seen you naked (you might want to talk to your mom about releasing childhood bathtime photos of her precious marky to the press, although I did quite enjoy the laugh).

Do you want to official NASA photo or something from the private collection?

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

Do you even have to ask? How private is the private collection? I'm going with private collection.

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

(Sends racy glamor shot image, wearing nothing but black lace bra and black lace thong, on all fours in bed).

If anyone sees that, you will have survived Mars just to have me murder you on earth.

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From:M. WATNEY

Fuck me. Is that seriously you? Am I being catfished in space?

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

(Sends official NASA photo to confirm is indeed her).

Proof enough?

Heed my previous warning. Don't make me kill you.

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

You are killing me with that picture. Not much I can do about it at the moment. But thank you. You made my day. My mom was right, you are beautiful. To be honest I wasn't expecting that. I mean I have worked at NASA for years, and most of the women I have encountered there don't look like you. Most are a lot older. Wow. I've got to go take a shower.

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

Hey, you picked private collection. Not my problem you are stuck there. How are you doing? Counting down the days?

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

I'm doing ok. Really. You don't have to worry about me any more. Beck says that I am getting back on

track with my weight gain and nutrition intake. Ship food is ok compared to a potato diet but I can't wait to get real food. I'd eat anything not prepackaged at this point.

Is it close enough to reentry that I can officially ask you out?

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

Sure, but I think it will be awhile before we can actually go "out", unless you want the media hounding you. You are the biggest star on earth at the moment.

We can do pizza at my place. You can hide out.

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

Sounds good. My parents informed me that since I was declared dead I was evicted from my apartment and all of my stuff put in storage. So I'm officially homeless. And still dead, until I get my accounts reopened.

Quite a cluster fuck you got there. I happen to know someone that has spare rooms.

Hint hint.

Mindy

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

I'll take you up on that. Not that I don't want to stay with you, but I will do anything to avoid the barracks at NASA.

Will you be at the landing?

Mark

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

I didn't plan on coming to the landing, just because I want you to focus on your family and I know the media and others will be there hounding you. I can sneak into medical after you get settled.

Mindy

To: V. Kapoor

From: M. WATNEY

Kapoor,

Can you ensure that Mindy has a pass to the landing? She is hesitant about going but it is important to me that she be there. Consider it a personal favor?

Thank you,

Mark

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

Mindy, I want you there. You are important to me. I've told Kapoor to make it happen. Please.

Mark


	2. Chapter 2

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

I see you have connections. I arrived to work today and found a landing pass on my desk. Those are not easy to come by. So I will see you there...

I feel like I need to disclose things to you. I don't know how much you or the crew has been made aware of. I just don't want you to be blindsided you get back, because I am sure there will be endless meetings to go over and over what happened. Just for the record, this is all completely off the record.

When you "died" there was a very nice funeral. Of course public confidence in NASA as a whole declined. Dead astronauts not good for morale as you can imagine. The future ARES missions were in question. I'm sure you deducted all of that. But Kapoor wanted more. He wanted satillite images of the ARES III site, for dual purposes. Supplies remaining at the site, if intact could be used for future missions. But visual confirmation of your death would also lend to faster production of a death certificate (declaring you dead in absence), giving final closure you your parents and paying them out your life insurance. You know fucking insurance companies wouldn't want to pay without a body.

Saunders originally vetoed the idea, but was purseded by the idea of increased public sympathy and support.

So Kapoor called me for the images, and I put 2+2 together and realized the fuck up.

So yea, I started stalking you from that point. Sounds creepy when I type that. I worked the same hours as you, so my schedule was majorly fucked. I started to drink coffee to compensate, and now I am addict. Where was coffee all of my life?

Getting back on track. You know about the failed supply mission, and the next planned supply mission.

But in came Rich Purnell and his brilliant mind. If you haven't been in contact with him yet, do. He is really one of the top people you should be thanking. Awesome astrophysicist that created the whole slingshot-the-earth-with-HERMES- go-back-for-Mark idea.

What you might not know is Saunders outright veto'd the idea, while Henderson and Venkat (and hell, most of NASA) supported it.

Someone sent the now famous "Purnell Manuver" to the HERMES crew, and they ultimately were the ones to decide to use it. Now there are rumors all around here as to who did it, but no one is coping to it. Saunders is pissed, but trying to act like that was the plan all along. Fucker. Henderson walks around with a permanent smirk on his face, so my money is on him (there is a betting pool going if you want to get in on it).

So, now you know how it went down. Hope I didn't ruin your day. I could send more pics to help?

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

Most of that is news to me. The crew committed mutany to save me? Sounds like something they would do. I'm thankful they did though. Not looking forward to the interrigations when I get back. The questions have already started via email. NASA has my logs now, I've explained the events at least 10 times now. They are going to give me PTSD just from being asked about it over and over.

I'm putting Purnell on my people to thank list. It is getting to be pretty long.

More pics will always make my day, but can you do me one better and video chat? I can submit the request to communications and they will contact you to schedule a time. That is if you are willing. How many times can I use the stuck on Mars card?

To: M. WATNEY

From: M. PARK

Submit the request and I'll wait for scheduling. How long does approval usually take?

Your mom called me today. I am not entirely sure how she got my cell phone number. But she had plenty of interesting stories about you, so I didn't mind. I can't believe you set your tricycle on fire trying to make it go faster. You were a strange kid weren't you? I can see why your mom only had one lol.

I need an update on how you are doing. I still get to worry even if you aren't my officially my problem. Don't make me email Dr. Beck.

Pic attached until we "live" chat. Funny story, my mom gave me a budouir shot certficate for my last birthday. So I guess we can play a game of "whose mom is wierder" when you get back.

To: M. PARK

From: M. WATNEY

Dr. Beck says I am fine considering what I have been through. Really. He also said to tell you to stop sending me pics as I am taking longer than the alotted shower time. Don't worry, I didn't show them to anyone. If he had seen them he would understand my predicament. Just putting this out there, feel free to send me all the pics you want.

NASA has me emailing a psycologist as well. I told her about how amazing you are. She told me I should probably not rush anything, considering the trauma I have been through.

I told her to fuck off.

I got the video chat confirmation. Looking forward to actually talking to you.


End file.
